Rebranding the art of teaching

From the post at Hyperakt:

Teachers are currently represented by uninspiring, childish visual imagery. Images like apples, chalkboards, and the ABCs neither revere the profession of teaching nor do justice to the intellectual and creative development teachers help guide in students of all ages.

We began with a simple premise, that education is the key to human progress, therefore teaching is among the most important professions for humanity. Our new visual vocabulary should capture the excitement and magic of activating the potential that is innate in every student. It should celebrate the process of developing ideas, reflect the collaborative nature of teaching and pay homage to existing visual tools used in teaching.

Our solution is all about connecting the dots. Visual maps, like teachers, help learners brainstorm ideas, reveal relationships, explain processes, tell stories and much more. The visual language of these connected dots can be found in toys, in letter tracing, in classroom brainstorms, on the whiteboards of innovators, in maps, in molecular structures and beyond.

Connecting the dots allows us to create a boundless visual language that celebrates teaching and learning in a way we can all be proud of.

The concept is very simplistic and abstract, but I have to admit it grows on me the more different ways I see it used. I am married to a teacher, and I am constantly disappointed by her profession’s cliché and self-serving ad campaigns. This, instead, is something with potential to change the conversation. And all based on the essential nature of the verb “Teach”.

See more examples after the break.

See many more examples, and the complete case study, here.

Comments

But don’t the two conflict? Teaching vs. Assisting Discovery? Shouldn’t it be “Assist in the discovery of science?” The reason I wonder this is because of the very traditional associations with the word “teach” as in “I’m going to impart my knowledge to you.” That’s not what “the art of assisting discovery” is…right?

I think the point is to redefine the verb to meet modern ideals of teaching, Will.